He Saved Us (2 of 2)

Bible Reading Introduction

Time of prayer for the Wilkersons

Review from last week

Titus 3:4–8 “4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy (read 3 words with me) he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.”

Sermon Introduction

Have you ever felt so dirty you didn’t think you would ever be clean again? Or maybe your kitchen after the meal this week.

Story of being in a cave in college. Wiggled myself into a little passage way and got stuck..

There is a uncleaness that is not as comical.

The Lepers of Old

Leprosy is a horrific skin disease We (Numbers 12)

Numbers 12; Eats your flesh away.

Painful, open wounds cover your entire body, from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head.

Because of the sores, your skin oozes, hardens, dies, and then falls off. And then, it happens again.

For an Israelite, leprosy was more than just a sickness. It meant you lived in abject humiliation. Lev 13:45-46

If you became a leper, you lost everything—reputation, job, family, friends, fellowship.

You must be disheveled so that others can see, from a distance, that you are a leper. And just in case anyone has bad eyesight, you are commanded to cry out, “Unclean! Unclean!” as proclamation of your disease.

You live in quarantine, outside civilization, in the wilderness—not merely for two weeks, but sometimes for life—for as long as you have the disease.

While on a preaching through Galilee, Jesus meets a leper.

Mark 1:40 “40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”

Do you hear his cries? He calls from the distance.

Do you see his faith? The leper heard of Jesus’ power and believes it.

Do you hear his words? He doesn’t ask, “Will You make me clean?” He doesn’t plead. He merely states a fact: “If You will, You can make me clean.”

What would Jesus do?

Mark 1:41 “41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.”

“Don’t touch him, Jesus! You will get leprosy! You’ll become unclean!”

Normally, if someone touches uncleanness, they become unclean.

But Jesus the Son of God, Jesus the Beloved of the Father, Jesus the LORD in flesh, touches leprosy—but He doesn’t become unclean.

With the authority of God Almighty, and His merciful hand on the leper, Jesus says, “I will; be cleansed.”

Mark 1:42 “42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.”

We have a Remarkable Redeemer

He saved us by His kindness,

by His love,

by His mercy,

by His regeneration,

by His Spirit, by His Son

by His grace.

When Jesus touched our lives. He did not changed by we have been “washed by regeneration.”

Passage is something that can bring us great comfort.

Might have been early creed

Possibly a hymn.

It is called a faithful saying.

Hymns have been a great way for us to learn and memorize doctrinal truth.

Question: What can wash away my sins?

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Hebrews 9:22 “22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”

The Truth for us Today

We desperately need saving.

We are completely unable to be our own Savior

God saved His with kindness and love.

We have ben saved by His mercy.

We have been saved through the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit

Now that we are justified we are heirs of eternal life.

4. We have been saved by His mercy

Titus 3:5 “5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

You are still you after the new birth. But there are two changes: You are clean, and you are new. That is what it means to be born again, regenerated.

Have you ever felt your uncleanness in the site of God.

The Leper did.

Peter did.

Our testimonies start in the same manner.

The reason we need regeneration is that God will not welcome such hearts into his new creation.

We saw a list of sins in v.3

We were dead in our sins.

We were unclean.

But grace appeared. Titus 3:4 “4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,”

Same pattern seen in Ephesians 2:4 “4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,”

Mercy Defined

It's different than grace. Grace relates to guilt

Mercy relates to misery. Grace relates to the state of the sinner before God the judge.

Mercy relates to the condition of the sinner in his sin. Grace is a judicial concept that forgives the crime.

Mercy is a compassionate concept that helps the criminal recover. Mercy looks at misery, grace looks at guilt

Mercy is needed

Titus 3:5 “5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

He saved us by His mercy. Not only by His kindness, by His love but now we move to His mercy.

His kindness caused Him to feel strong affection.

His strong affection, compassion and pity caused Him to be merciful.

5. We have been saved through the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit

We have been made new. We have been washed.

We have been made new. 2 Corinthians 5:17“17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

How is this done?

Now there are three key doctrinal words in this verse that I want you to circle.

Titus 3:5–7 “5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Washing of Regeneration

This word for regeneration is used twice in the New Testament, though we see the concept in other passages. (ie John 3:16)

Definition: The “washing of regeneration” refers to being born again.

The Greek word for “washing” in Titus 3:5 describes the act of cleansing something all over thoroughly.

Regeneration means taking an already existing thing and making it new again or starting over.

Comes from two words. Begin & Again

A promised rebirth of all creation. (follows story of the rich young ruler) Matthew 19:28 “28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Here for believers. Titus 3:5 “5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

People feel the need for this

Satan loves to make counterfeit versions of the Gospel.

One cult would have people dig a hole, put lattice over it, kill a bull and let blood drop over person. Then give a glass of milk afterwards symnbolizing the new birth.

There are those who would say this is the ordinance of baptism – and they spill all kinds of ink over the fact that you can’t become a Christian until you’ve been baptized.

Well, all you have to do is read the phrase and notice the agent doing the baptizing. Notice again,

“By the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Senior Pastor . . .”

Renewal of the Holy Ghost

Paul wants to emphasize here is that it is owing to the way God is, not owing to what we have done.

By the Mercy of God, Not Our Deeds

Sorcerer Simon in Acts tried to buy the Holy Spirit?

Peter said, "May your money perish with you."

There's nothing you can do to gain or earn the renewal work of the Holy Spirit.

That's something God pours out

John 3:6“6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

By His Son

Titus 3:6 “6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;”

God saved us by mercy.

He saved us by the washing of regeneration.

He saved us by the renewing of the Holy Spirit.

He saved us through Jesus Christ our Savior.

We couldn't even have this list without this one, could we?

The person and work of Christ made it all possible that's why Peter preaching on the day of Pentecost preached that it was God’s plan that this holy child (Jesus) would die in our place.

Jesus satisfied the justice of God, the price was paid, death was conquered and it is through Jesus Christ our Savior that He saved us.

5. Now that we are justified we are heirs of eternal life.

Paul has one more thing to say in this very long sentence.

Not only do we happen to have a remarkable Redeemer;

Not only have we been given a remarkable redemption

Not only are we under a remarkable reconstruction

We have been promised us remarkable ownership

Titus 3:7 “7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Bestowed at the moment of regeneration, to be experienced fully and literally in the future.

This is justification:

He took our vileness and gave us His virtue;

He took our perversion and gave us His purity;

He took our record of sin and gave us His record of sinlessness.

Great Trinitarian Passage

God, the Father, saved people according to His mercy through regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit poured out abundantly through Jesus Christ.

Knowing God’s love for you is the most relevant truth in all the world.

On Wednesday morning I read. 1 Thessalonians 5:8–9 “8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Placed a note about how I would need that verse on the day I receive bad news. Later that day I received a phone call where i learned the story of Earl Sweat..

What is the goal of this? He saves us for what reason?

Titus 3:7 “7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

HE SAVED US

Instead of living in the fear of death HE SAVED US we live as heirs of eternal life and live in the hope of heaven.

HE SAVES US to change our eternal destiny.

HE SAVES US from the consequence of sin which is hell.

HE SAVES US from the place of eternal death that fills the heart with fear.

HE SAVES US to the place of eternal life that fills the heart with hope, namely heaven.

Such a recognition is that God has done it all and Paul's message here to Titus and to these Cretan Christians and all the rest of us is...look, you're living in a godless pagan culture, don't you sit in smug self-righteous condemnation on that culture, you be grateful that.. HE SAVES US saved you. Don't look at them as the enemy. They're the ones you're to reach in love. - John MacArthur

An understanding of this truth should produce gratitude that will be demonstrated in the way we live our lives.

Avoid foolish questions

Titus 3:9 “9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.”

In this truth is a wonderful place to live.

It is wonderful centerpiece for our discussions.

Let us knot get so caught up in the lesser things.

Gratitude

“The theology of Christianity is based on grace; the ethics of Christianity are based on gratitude.” (Briscoe)

Titus 3:8 “8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.”

When salvation is viewed as redemption purchased at a cost, the redemption is enjoyed with grateful remembrance of the cost.

Paul’s testimony for this Thanksgiving 1 Timothy 1:12–13 “12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”

Many times at Christmas we consider what we will get or give. But this last week to reflect on what we have been given.

Let’s read Titus 3:5 again. You have 3 words to say. Titus 3:5 “5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

Time of Response

To the believer today you can say “HE HAS SAVED US”

Pray that you allowed God’s Word to stir you heart and to be reminded of all that you have been saved from and all that you are saved to.

A great expression of gratitude is found in lowly service to others. Find a place, time, and a person this week to express the love of God.

As believers will pray to those in here that have not received forgiveness of sin let me tell you...

We were there. We were ignorant of God’s law. Those of us who knew it were rebellious

But God is kind. God is loving. God extends grace and mercy to you today. You need to reach out and receive this gift.